Epilogue

Okay, I have been home for several days; the ride ended eight days ago, and here I am, better late than never, with the "epilogue," which will consist of mostly statistics, and a few recommendations.

Total Miles:  3,183
Average per cycling day:  55 (not including in and about mileage on days off)
Total Climbing:  81,309
Pedal Strokes:  981,167
Flat tires:  1
Worn tires replaced:  2
Broken spokes:  2
Tired legs:   2
Pounds lost:  15
Participants started:  13
Participants finished:  9 (two dropped early for health, two rode ahead to finish early, leaving the group)
Camping nights:  36
Hotel nights:  25
Private Homes:  3
Churches:   2

Recommendations:

• Carry spare spokes.  I chose to accept the risk, yet still had two broken spokes in Pensacola.  If I was out in the sticks, between towns, I may not have been able to proceed very far without vehicle support.
• Obtain a handlebar mount for your smartphone.  While the ACA maps are very good, there may be times when you are off route, and need to consult a GPS app, such as Google Maps.  This would have saved me 15 miles on a detour had I put more faith in Google Maps, rather than my Garmin Edge 800.
• Spend more money on quality rain gear.  I chose to spend less money, and found that my expensive yet "cheap" gear did not breath, so I was more wet on the inside than the outside.
• Water test your tent before your trip.  I did not, and had to replace my tent, as the rain fly more than leaked, it let the rain through entirely, so that it was raining in my tent!
• Maximize your sightseeing time, and if your are not on an organized group, take more time off to see the sights.  The people and the history are absolutely fantastic!
• Take time to journal about your trip, whether a blog, or paper journal.  It is well worth it to record your epic journey.

Although the trip was fantastic, I was ready for it to be finished during the last week.  I missed my family (my wife),  my grandson, my children, my extended family and my dog, although not necessarily in that order!  (Dianne comes first!)  My next adventure, in about two years, will be 30 days longer, so I will need to prepare myself for the absence, in addition to the endurance.   My plan is to do one of these epic adventures every two years, allowing Dianne and I to take an RV trip or other vacation during the alternate years.

Thank you to all who gave encouragement and support along the way, and upon my return.  I truly value your comments and inspiration.

May the wind be at your backs, and keep the rubber side down!